What is Bitrate? Is Higher Bitrate Better for Video Quality? [Complete Guide]
- Updated on 2025-11-21
- 837
Table Of Content
Introduction
Bitrate is one of the most important factors determining the quality of your video and audio. Whether you are recording, streaming, editing, or delivering media, the bitrate you choose directly affects clarity, smoothness, detail, and file size. This guide explains what bitrate is, how it works, when higher bitrate is better, how to choose the right settings, and how tools like UniFab can improve quality even when your original bitrate is low.
Essential Bitrate Basics You Need to Know
What is Bitrate?
Bitrate is a measuring unit for digital content such as video, audio, or images. It denotes the amount of digital data that gets transferred or processed in a certain time. In a simple word, Bitrate refers to the video processing speed measured in the form of the number of bits processed per second.
Video processing speed mainly refers to three types of speed, including video uploading from your device to the web, downloading from the web to your device for playback, and internet speed, which also fastens or slows down the video uploading or downloading speed. So, in short, Bitrate defines how fast or slow and how much digital data gets transferred in a certain amount of time during video encoding.
To sum up, bitrate refers to the amount of data processed per second in a video or audio file. It is usually measured in:
- kbps (kilobits per second)
- Mbps (megabits per second)
- Gbps (gigabits per second)
A higher bitrate means more data is being used to represent your media, which usually results in better quality.
Types of Bitrate
There are three types of Bitrate used to control the amount of data used to process any video depending on the intensity of the information. Higher Bitrates always make the video size large, and therefore, it has become difficult to play it on different platforms or devices. So, to balance out the video quality and file size, here you will get three types of bitrate options that you can use depending on your video specifications.
- Constant Bitrate (CBR)
Constant Bitrate maintains a consistent bitrate throughout the entire video, irrespective of any scene's color intensity, pixel density, or motion complexity. In a CBR-encoded video, each frame shares an equal amount of the total Bitrate. As a result, the file size and bandwidth requirement have become consistent and predictable, and therefore, CBR is mainly used in live streaming to ensure uninterrupted transmission of live data.
However, CBR also creates issues in streaming by offering more bitrate to any static scene with less digital information and less Bitrate to any intense scene with more details and motion. Therefore, you experience blur and pixelation in certain parts of the video, which hampers your streaming experience.
- Variable Bitrate (VBR)
Variable Bitrate varies from scene to scene in a video depending on the intensity and complexity of the scene. With the same file size video, VBR ensures a higher video streaming experience than CBR by distributing Bitrate dynamically as per the scenes' requirements. VBR offers more Bitrate to complex scenes and less to static ones.
VBR is best for streaming pre-recorded videos with mixed scenes of action, motion, etc. However, videos encoded with VBR require more power and resources from your system, and dynamically allocating Bitrate to different scenes is a very time-consuming process. VBR videos are less compatible with old devices.
- Adaptive Bitrate (ABR)
Adaptive Bitrate automatically adjusts the bitrate distribution throughout the video to deliver optimal video streaming quality based on your device's capacity and available bandwidth.
It offers a disruption- and buffering-free streaming experience on any device with a low internet connection. With ABR encoding, you can reduce your bandwidth cost as it supports only the necessary data transfer throughout the video to maintain your optimal streaming experience.
Bitrate vs Resolution vs Frame Rate
Understanding the differences is essential.
| Setting | What It Means | Interaction with Bitrate |
| Resolution | Pixel count (e.g., 1080p, 4K) | Higher resolution → higher bitrate needed for clarity |
| Frame Rate | Frames per second | Fast motion needs higher bitrate |
| Bitrate | Data per second | Controls detail, smoothness, and compression |
A 4K file with low bitrate can look worse than a high-bitrate 1080p file.
What is Video Bitrate?
After knowing what is Bitrate, it is clear that Bitrate is used to measure different types of digital data including photos, audio, video, documents etc. So, when you want to know what is Bitrate in video means, you must understand that video involves more data than any other form of digital data like audio or photo. Video contains colors, pixels, movement, position, and more.
Video bitrate deals with data that contains more information than any other form of digital data. Therefore, video bitrate refers to the amount of “Information” present in each data point. Since a higher Bitrate means more information in each data point, video bitrate is also used to measure the depth of the video quality by measuring how much “information” gets transferred through each data point during video encoding.
How to Measure the Bitrate?
Bitrate is measured as bits per second (bps). The unit used to measure Bitrate is Megabits per second (Mbps), which denotes the video uploading and downloading speed, and Megabytes per second (MBps), which refers to the amount of data transferred during video processing.
As you have already seen, various factors influence the exact amount of Bitrate you need for different platforms. You definitely need a solution to calculate adequate Bitrate for streaming your specific video. In that case, you can try a ready-to-use bitrate calculator available online.
Otherwise, you can also try different Bitrate calculating formulas shown on the internet to calculate your required Bitrate. To do this, you must have some technical knowledge about calculating resolution, frame rate, motion complexity, etc. because these factors will be required to calculate any bitrate.
Factors Influencing Bitrate
To improve video quality by increasing Bitrate, you have to consider many other factors of the video, as these factors influence the Bitrate to increase or decrease video quality. Here are the video influencing factors.
- Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of pixels present on an image on your screen. So, higher resolution means more pixels, and therefore, to process high-resolution video with more pixels, you certainly need a higher Bitrate with more data transferring speed per second. For example, according to Google recommendations, you need an 8Mbps bitrate to process 1080p video with a standard frame rate and 35-45 Mbps for 4K video with the same frame rate.
- Frame Rate
In a video, frame rate represents the number of frames appearing on the screen per second, and it's known as frame rate per second (Fps). So, to process the same quality video with the same resolution but a different frame rate, the Bitrate will differ. For example, to process a 1080p video with 30fps, you need an 8Mbps bitrate, and the same 1080p video with 60fps will need 12Mbps for processing. So, a higher frame rate requires a higher Bitrate for encoding.
- Codec
Codecs have been used to compress and convert raw video into a format to store the video file and to decompress video for playback. An efficient codec can process a high-quality video at a low bitrate. For example, the H.265 codec delivers the same high-quality video as the H.264 codec offers using half the Bitrate.
- Video Compression
There are two types of compression: lossy and lossless. In a lossy video compression process, redundant video details are removed, reducing the size of the video file and requiring a lower Bitrate to process. On the other hand, lossless compression retains all the original video data, resulting in a large file size that requires a higher Bitrate to process.
Bitrate Varies in Different Streaming Platforms
You might need different bitrate recommendations on different video streaming platforms to process the same quality video with the same resolution. Let’s see what are the suggested bitrate for 4k with a standard frame rate:
YouTube SDR: 35 Mbps
YouTube HDR: 44 to 56 Mbps
Facebook Live: 6 to 8 Mbps
Twitch: support up to 8 Mbps depending on settings
Internet Bandwidth
To process video with a higher Bitrate, you need more bandwidth support. Despite having a high-resolution video with a high bitrate, your streaming could be compromised, and you could face buffering and blurring if you don't have enough bandwidth support.
Is 3000 bitrate good for streaming?
A bitrate of 3000 kbps (3 Mbps) is good for streaming 720p videos and can work for 1080p at lower frame rates.
What Does High Bitrate Mean?
A high bitrate means more information is stored or transmitted every second.
This results in:
- Sharper, cleaner video
- More accurate color and detail
- Smoother motion
- Better audio fidelity
- Larger file sizes
- Higher bandwidth requirements for streaming
High bitrate is especially important for 4K content, fast movement (sports, gaming), and professional video editing workflows.
Is Higher Bitrate Better?
Yes, a higher bitrate is generally better because it contains more data per second, producing clearer video and higher-fidelity audio.
However, higher bitrate also comes with trade-offs:
- Larger files
- More storage required
- Slower uploads and processing
- Higher bandwidth necessary for streaming
The ideal bitrate balances quality, file size, storage, and internet bandwidth.
Benefits of a Higher Bitrate
- Better Video Quality: More data reduces compression artifacts such as Pixelation, Blurring, Banding, Blockiness in fast motion
- More Accurate Colors: High bitrate keeps chroma detail intact, crucial for color grading and green-screen workflows.
- Improved Audio Fidelity: Higher audio bitrate preserves detail, dynamic range, clean high frequencies, natural sound textures
- Better Source for Editing: Professionals always record in high bitrate because you can downscale later, but cannot recreate detail from a low-bitrate source
Drawbacks of a Higher Bitrate
- Larger File Sizes: High bitrate files can be 2–10× larger depending on codec and resolution.
- Higher Bandwidth Requirements: High-bitrate streaming demands a faster, more stable internet connection. A slow upload speed can lead to buffering and a subpar viewing experience.
- Slower Editing and Rendering: More data = heavier processing load.
- Not Always Necessary: For simple content (talking head videos), extremely high bitrate offers little visible benefit.
Verdict
When you have a brief idea about what does bitrate do in a video, it's easy to understand that the higher the Bitrate, the better the quality. As Bitrate indicates the amount of information passed through each piece of data during video processing, it's evident that a higher Bitrate will pass through more information in each piece of data. As a result, you will get a higher-quality video.
However, you have to remember one thing: to increase video quality by increasing Bitrate, your video must have more information in it to pass through each data point. That means your video must be high resolution with more pixels, colors, and other information. More information can be transferred through each data point with a high Bitrate in a video to increase the video quality.
However, with low-quality video, high Bitrate wouldn't do much to enhance the video quality because there is a limited amount of information with fewer pixels, colors, and details to transfer through each data point. So, increasing Bitrate will increase the amount of data being transferred with limited information, and therefore, you will end up with an average-quality video due to low resolution with fewer pixels despite having high Bitrate.
How to Choose the Right Bitrate
Choosing the best bitrate depends on your purpose. Below are standard professional guidelines.
1. Recommended Bitrates for Recording
Use the highest bitrate your device supports while keeping stable performance.
Typical ranges:
| Resolution | Best Recording Bitrate |
| 1080p | 12–20 Mbps |
| 2.7K | 25–40 Mbps |
| 4K | 45–100 Mbps |
| 8K | 100–200+ Mbps |
Higher resolutions require higher bitrates to maintain clarity.
2. Recommended Bitrates for Streaming
A common rule:
Set your bitrate to 60–70% of your upload speed.
Examples:
| Upload Speed | Recommended Streaming Bitrate |
| 5 Mbps | 3–3.5 Mbps |
| 10 Mbps | 6–7 Mbps |
| 20 Mbps | 12–14 Mbps |
Platform guidelines:
| Platform | Resolution | Recommended Bitrate |
| YouTube | 1080p 60fps | 4,500–6,000 kbps |
| Twitch | 720p 60fps | 3,000–4,500 kbps |
| Facebook Live | 1080p 30fps | 3,500–4,000 kbps |
3. Recommended Bitrates for Final Delivery
When exporting final videos, choose a bitrate optimized for platform compatibility and size.
Typical final export values:
| Resolution | Delivery Bitrate (H.264) |
| 1080p | 8–12 Mbps |
| 4K | 35–45 Mbps |
Higher bitrates than platform limits won't increase viewer quality—they will be re-encoded.
How to Change Bitrate with UniFab Video Enhancer
One of the most efficient tools for adjusting video bitrate is UniFab Video Enhancer. Designed with advanced AI technology and intuitive interface, UniFab not only lets you customize the video bitrate effortlessly.
With UniFab Video Enhancer, you can:
Increase bitrate to enhance video resolution and clarity.
Reduce bitrate to compress videos while retaining acceptable quality.
Optimize bitrate for specific platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, or social media.
UniFab All-In-One also offers a suite of AI-powered tools for quality enhancement, including:
- Video & Audio Enhancement
16K Upscaling: Upscales videos to HD, 4K, 8K and 16K, enhancing clarity by filling in missing pixels.
Convert SDR to HDR: Upgrade SDR videos to HDR10 or Dolby Vision, boosting brightness and color range.
Frame Interpolation: AI smoothens motion and increases frame rates to reduce judder.
Denoise Video: Remove noise and compression artifacts from low-light videos for clearer playback.
Deinterlacing: Convert interlaced videos to progressive scan, eliminating artifacts for improved quality.
Upmixing: Enhance audio to formats like DTS 7.1 or EAC3 5.1 for a richer sound experience.
- Free AI Tools
Vocal Remover: Remove or isolate vocals from songs, perfect for karaoke.
Video Background Remover: Advanced AI technology provides precise cut-outs with hairline-level accuracy.
- Video Conversion, Compression & Editing
Broad Format Support: Convert videos to 1,000+ formats, ensuring compatibility across devices.
Lossless Compression: Reduce file sizes without compromising quality.
Built-in Editing & Customizable Output: Trim, crop, adjust volume, and fine-tune settings like codec, frame rate, and bitrate for optimal results.
Steps to change video bitrate
30-day Free Trial with full feature access!
Open the UniFab software on your Mac/ Windows system, choose the desired module, and upload your video.
Click 'Settings' > Change the bitrate of your video manually > click 'OK'
Click ‘Start’ buttion.
Conclusion
Bitrate directly determines how detailed, smooth, and clear your video and audio appear. Higher bitrates provide better quality but require more storage and stronger internet connections. Whether you're recording, editing, streaming, or exporting, choosing the right bitrate ensures excellent results while avoiding unnecessary file bloat.
And if your footage was captured at a lower bitrate, AI-powered tools like UniFab can restore lost detail and dramatically improve visual quality, making your final output sharper, clearer, and more professional.
FAQs about Higher Bitrate
What does a higher bitrate do?
A higher bitrate primarily affects two things: quality and file size. By sending more data per second, it delivers a sharper, clearer image with improved color accuracy in video and a fuller, more detailed sound in audio. At the same time, the increased data rate produces larger file sizes, which require more storage and demand more bandwidth during streaming or uploading.
What is a good bitrate for 1080p?
A good video bitrate for 1080p typically ranges from 8 Mbps to 12 Mbps for standard video quality. For high-quality or high-motion videos, you may want to go up to 15-20 Mbps. However, the optimal bitrate can also depend on factors like the frame rate and codec used.
What is a normal bitrate for streaming?
The normal bitrate for streaming varies depending on the video resolution, frame rate, and platform. Here are some general recommendations:
720p at 30fps: 1.5 - 4 Mbps
1080p at 30fps: 4 - 6 Mbps
1080p at 60fps: 6 - 9 Mbps
1440p (2K) at 30fps: 10 - 15 Mbps
1440p (2K) at 60fps: 15 - 20 Mbps
4K at 30fps: 20 - 30 Mbps
4k at 60fps: 30 - 50 Mbps
Is high bitrate better than 4K?
High bitrate can improve video quality, but 4K is about resolution. A high bitrate 1080p video might look better than a low bitrate 4K video.
Is 1 mbps bitrate good?
1 Mbps is low for video and may cause lower quality or buffering, but it can work for basic 480p streaming.
Is high bitrate 720p better than low bitrate 1080p?
Yes, a high bitrate 720p video usually looks better than a low bitrate 1080p video because of clearer, smoother playback.
Does lower bitrate reduce quality?
Yes, lower bitrate often reduces video quality, causing blurriness or pixelation, especially in detailed or fast scenes.